solfege

How important is this solfege to you? are you good at it? good at sight reading solfege?

I think it is very important to learn this "solfege" because it is a good way to train your ear. also if you pick up a sheet of music you can hear what it sounds like w/ out picking up an instrument. I think im pretty good at it, I took a sight singing class and now im taking an aural skills class and it is very important to know the solfege for that. let me get some feed back here. peace
Chad

I do it I am pretty good at it too.
Its just when you change key and do(h) moves I get confused.
I think it is great for being able to "hear" a peice of music. Also my kids get a real kick when I paractice (I conduct when I practice)

The Fixed Do system means Do is C (or C#/Cb) all the time. So if you're singing in the key of A, La is tonic - ya dig?

This form of solfege is a little tricky at first if your a fan of Fixed Do, but it's ultimately a lot easier.

--- I'd get a real hoot out of watching you conduct when you practice too - I usually keep both hands on the bass. (j/k)

Originally posted by Shumph I do it I am pretty good at it too.
Its just when you change key and do(h) moves I get confused.
I think it is great for being able to "hear" a peice of music. Also my kids get a real kick when I paractice (I conduct when I practice)

I think that singing named pitches is probably the most productive thing anyone can to if they want to learn to play melodically. If you are into understanding harmonic theory, I would strongly recommend singing using the "numbers system" instead of the solfege syllables, (do=1; re=2; mi=3 etc...) because when you start looking at complex chord structures, they won't make any sense to your ears unless you are able to translate the symbols into sound.

For example, to someone who sings by the numbers of scale degrees, the chord symbols "C7sus", or "G7#9(#5)" make perfect sense as SOUNDS that are easy to hear and understand. To someone who doesn't sing, or who doesn't put together the relation of chord symbol alterations to scale degrees of a corresponding scale, these symbols often look like gibberish.

Chris,
Are you saying that the numbers system is like the movable do (which is what I learned) but using numbers instead? Or is it fixed?
Also are you saying you are singing chords? I know what you mean I think.

Solfege has helped me quite a bit but somteimes I get really pissed off at it. Esp. when some of my (home)work is in that damed treble clef. I am definatly willing to try a new approach and the number system sounds cool. Any links or book recomendations?

If you're really hearing it, you can sing it....your voice might sound like crap (mine does), but you can still sing the pitches and rhythms.

Solfege has helped me quite a bit but somteimes I get really pissed off at it. Esp. when some of my (home)work is in that damed treble clef. I am definatly willing to try a new approach and the number system sounds cool. Any links or book recomendations?

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I don't know of any books, but try analyzing anything that you normally play and singing the melodies/improvisations in the key of the song using the numbers. This really speeds up the process of learning what specific character each scale degree has. After a while, you'll hear a note in your head, realize that it's the 7th degree of the scale or whatever, and play it automatically without even thinking about it. When that starts to happen, so does the music.

so does it go like this:
instead of saying do I say 1 correct? (I know I am a little slow on the uptake somtimes)

do re me fa so la ti do
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

I want to get this right because I feel it does help.
The only problem is I have 3 more semesters of ear training and this may conflict with the system they teach. But no law says I can't learn it on my own huh?

this numbering system has its pros and cons.
i would sound good in a major key. but what about minor and all the other modes and minor keys. people are going to get use to hearing 1 3 or Do Mi...but what if it was in minor. 1 3 or Do Me.
how could you tell the difference between 1 3 and 1 3? peace
Chad

Originally posted by b0nes83 this numbering system has its pros and cons.
i would sound good in a major key. but what about minor and all the other modes and minor keys. people are going to get use to hearing 1 3 or Do Mi...but what if it was in minor. 1 3 or Do Me.
how could you tell the difference between 1 3 and 1 3?
Chad

Click to expand...

This forces awareness of the construction of the scale you're in, which is a good thing. If you really want to be meticulous about it, you could sing "flat 3" or "flat 7" for minor...the important thing is that you are understanding the interval in your mind. This also means that you'll automatically understand altered chord symbols better, since you'll only be raising or lowering scale tones you've already sung by a half step.

instead of always starting on 1(do) in major, minor you can start on 6(la) and sing it in regular solfege or numbering system that way it will not mess with the relationships between each interval...which bring me to another question. when doing intervals you usually get the tonic and then a note in the scale or out of the scale. when saying of that is a Third. you need to make sure that you can distiniguish(sp) the sound of a major.minor 3rd. thats where this number system has its downfalls. peace
Chad

The way I was taught is to sing the interval name (similiar to what Chris is saying) i.e. root, minor 2nd, major 2nd, minor 3rd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, tri-tone, perfect 5th, minor 6th, major 6th, minor 7th, major 7th, octave (root) .

I agree that, no matter which system you use, it's very beneficial. Which reminds me, I haven't been practising this for awhile. I'm going to start including it in me practices again.